Adding a Bimini

[william24424]

I would like to add a Bimini to my Cal 33-2. I'm tired of the umbrella & want to get fancy. I would like to fold it or remove it when racing. I have a single backstay. About 50" H from inside toe rail to boom (which gives standing room from helm) about 106" W and looks like about 6-7' Length, should provide enough shade. To make this work, it looks like a 3 bow Bimini. Which now gives me a few choices.

1) Buy stainless frame kit from sailrite or other outfit & get to work.
2) Buy a stock Amazon full Bimini & cover & make it work.
3) Hire a company to do frame & Canvas work. or just canvas work if I can make the frame.

What are your thoughts? Advice? Thank you.

 

[dlochner]

The easiest and most expensive way is to hire a canvas shop to make one. If you use a shop that deals with a lot of sailboats, they will have some good ideas on how to make the bimini.

Sailrite does provide good support and instructions. If you have a machine that can handle multiple layers of heavy fabric, this is a good option, you will get a pretty good design with good products for less money. If you go this route use the UV resistant thread.

The Amazon route is dicey, it may work right out of the box or maybe not. Could be a frustrating experience.

Do use SS not aluminum for the frames. The bimini will get used as a handhold at times, you want it to be strong. It is also heavy, so folding up rather than removing will probably be a better option.

Nice weather you're having on the Cape today. We're sitting in Sandwich waiting to go through the canal.

 

[shemandr]

I think a Bimini is a big upgrade to a cruising boat.
I would avoid the Amazon route. They are generally suited to power boats. You'll probably want a window in it so you can see the sails. And a window often has a roll up cover for when you don't want a window.
You'll probably benefit from a split in the cover for the backstay so you can extend the cover enough aft to get reliable shade at the helm station. Obviously, it has to fit under the boom so you need to deal with the mainsheet which I note from the photo is end of boom. I think that limits the forward extent of the Bimini.
Two or three bows? This is where a professional can be a great help. I'm thinking two bows the forward on having an articulating attachment so that the whole thing can be pushed back for racing.
Am I correct that you do not have a dodger? On my H356 the dodger, Bimini and insert covered the whole cockpit which was really nice for having shade. But the 356 has an arch so the mainsheet was above the canvas. Havin shade became more important as I got older and now my Dermatologist wishes I'd had more shade too.
My wife and I made a dodger for another boat from the Sailrite kit. It turned out pretty good and she is a skilled sewer. But betting the panels so they don't have wrinkles isn't as easy as described. There is a reason professionals get a lot of money for a professional job.

 

[dlochner]

Havin shade became more important as I got older and now my Dermatologist wishes I'd had more shade too.

And when the can of liquid nitrogen comes out or the scalpel, I bet you share the dermatologist's feelings.

 

[william24424]

No dodger (we've done without for many years), I really want a place to hide in the shade while cruising at the helm. I'd be happy to have any canvas above our heads, wrinkled or not. I can sew, have a machine that goes through canvas/leather ect, although I'd rather have a professional do this part of the job.

 

[Ward H]

I second the Sailrite Kit route. If I was starting from scratch that's the route I'd go. Even if you buy a sewing machine you'll probably spend less than having a professional build you one.
Look around your marina for various ideas of how to mount the bows.
As Dave said, go with SS tubing for your frame and make it sturdy. You'l find it use for additional hand holds.

I agree with the others, stay away from Amazon.

 

[Ward H]

I can sew, have a machine that goes through canvas/leather ect, although I'd rather have a professional do this part of the job.

Then that's the way to do. Let him do the frame as well for the best results.

 

[shemandr]

I forgot to mention that my wife sewed the dodger on her Singer sewing machine. She was careful about oiling and let it rest to cool down but it did the job. This is a machine that she bought in the 60’s and it is heavily built. She still uses that machine today. She also has a vintage machine from her Grandmother but it doesn’t do the zig zag stitch.
The bows came in the kit and there was some kind of sliding mechanism to adjust the size (For a dodger). I don’t recall the material but I don’t think DIY’ers can bend SS.

 

[fred1diver]

For the frame, getting a shop to make one is expensive but worth it, definitely go with SS.
For the canvas, you can make one with sailrite’s videos, they have very good info, the e important part is the patterning, it take more time to make a good pattern than to do the actual work, this is where it pays off.
I make canvas as a side business and I like to install zippers for the bows, much easier to install and remove, when you design the top, look at everything you might want, now is the time to do it! Some line a window, do it before cutting the sunbrella, just cut a slit on it before sewing the window. If you choose to do it and have questions, feel free to ask

 

[BigEasy]

I would “bite the bullet” and pay a professional to fabricate the SS supports & Bimini skin. Be sure to check out other boats that they have done & talk to owners for satisfactory results. I have sewn sail covers, helm covers, winch covers, & deck hatch covers, using old covers as patterns….it isn’t easy for the inexperienced. Biminis are the most difficult. If the frame isn’t custom designed, the final product will not look good. If the skin isn’t measured & sewn correctly, there will be a water retention pond on the top surface every time it rains. Definitely an art form and lots of experience to get it right. You can see the difference in a professional job vs amateur when walking through a marina.

 

[JBP-PA]

Option #2b, buy a full Bimini from a company that will offer you support and maybe some customization.

These guys offer either stainless or aluminum frames.

Sailboat Bimini Top For Superior Shade And Comfort

Enhance your sailboat with our durable Bimini top. Provides superior shade and comfort, protecting you from the sun while adding style to your vessel.

oceansouth.us

These guys sell cheap aluminum frame Bimini. Not nearly as good as a custom job, but probably 1/10 the cost.

SolaquaShield 3 Bow Bimini Top Round Tube Full Set 72" Long 54" Height

Check out our SolaquaShield 3 Bow Bimini Top Round Tube 72'' Long & 54" Height. Explore EliteShield's wide collection of high-quality Bimini Top accessories.

eliteshield.com

Carver Round Tube Bimini Top 46"H, 6'L, 97"-102"W

A 46" high and 6' long 97"-102" wide Round Tube Bimini Top is available in Sunbrella, Vinyl, and Performance Poly Guard many materials and colors.

www.boatcoversdirect.com

 

[Justin_NSA]

One thing to keep in mind is height. It's a good chance if you're not careful, it will interfere with the boom. Our bimini was made by the previous owners. They were sail and 'canvas' makers. Our bimini is huge, but oh so nice in our scorching Kansas summers. We have a split backstay. It collapses around the backstay and we have a cover for it. I made the 2 stanchion rail poles 'telescoping' so we get full extension and a tighter fit when closed. Just thoughts for your project.

 

[Leeward Rail]

The easiest and most expensive way is to hire a canvas shop to make one. If you use a shop that deals with a lot of sailboats, they will have some good ideas on how to make the bimini.

100%

I would hire a competent local pro that can come to your boat, if that is an option.
Not only will it fit and work perfect, but you can discuss options for future add-ons that would make it a full enclosure, tie it into a dodger, etc. It's something that will be on the boat for decades so I see it as worth paying for the pro's experience.

Fortunately we have a sailor in our marina who makes sailpacks, Biminis, dodger etc. as a winter business. If I have a problem, he can easily come and do warranty repairs, adjustments, etc. He made a nice bimini for one boat, and planned ahead for making it into a full enclosure, by adding extra zippers etc. A few years later, the owner upgraded for a full enclosure and the attachment points were already there.
His experience is invaluable.

I have a big commercial triple feed sewing machine, and have made covers for things, but I currently wouldn't tackle a bimini unless I was prepared to redo it a bunch of times as a learning process.

Like @Ward H says, the cost of a commercial sewing machine and the kit MAY be the same price as having a pro do it, and you end up with a machine+experience.
I would do it myself, using a sailrite kit, if it was more as a way to learn, than just wanting a bimini and saving money.

You get what you pay for, and my sewing skills aren't worth much.. yet. It takes a lot of experience to make a truly nice, versatile, bimini. I will be hiring our local guy when we finally need one.

 

[dLj]

I'm wondering why everyone is saying use stainless over aluminum. Aluminum has a higher strength to weight ratio. You can get as strong a frame using aluminum at less weight than using stainless.

Maybe this should be a separate discussion, but as it's happening here I thought I'd ask.

dj

 

[Justin_NSA]

Stainless steel is stronger than aluminum, but aluminum has a better strength-to-weight ratio. For example, a steel tube is about three times stronger than an aluminum tube of the same size, but it's also about three times heavier. I.e. it's more about strength than weight of the bimini

 

[jssailem]

I would choose Stainless Steel on a 33-foot Cal, especially if you sail the boat in greater than moderate breezes. While it is recommended to collapse the Bimini if the wind picks up, not everyone does that.

 

[dlochner]

I'm wondering why everyone is saying use stainless over aluminum. Aluminum has a higher strength to weight ratio. You can get as strong a frame using aluminum at less weight than using stainless.

Maybe this should be a separate discussion, but as it's happening here I thought I'd ask.

dj

I believe in the size tubing typically used for biminis, 1", stainless wins. There is probably 1" OD tubing with thick walls that would be suitable, available somewhere, however I have not seen it used on boats.

Larger structures, like tuna towers on fishing boats do use aluminum. The towers I"ve been seeing lately have 2-3" diameter tubes and are certainly lighter than the equivalent in SS.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

My boat came with a very high quality bimini made by a local company. It's nearly 20 years old and has one small patch from backstay wear. Sometimes when it's out I'll analyze and admire the detail and skill it took to measure and bend the frame as well as the detail that went into the canvas. It's truly a work of art to be appreciated.

 

[william24424]

Thank you all for your input, I found a guy in Rhode Island (where boat was made) from Kinder Industries, he's very familiar with the Cal 33. He's going to put the frame on the rails & make a sunbrella top. On similar boats he suggests/makes an approx. 6' Bimini stop short of the mast, it will fold down, be out of the way of mast, and will include a window & zipper for back stay. I like to include my DIY projects here, this time I'll show someone else's work, I'll post photos when finished.

 

[Justin_NSA]

Thank you all for your input, I found a guy in Rhode Island (where boat was made) from Kinder Industries, he's very familiar with the Cal 33. He's going to put the frame on the rails & make a sunbrella top. On similar boats he suggests/makes an approx. 6' Bimini stop short of the mast, it will fold down, be out of the way of mast, and will include a window & zipper for back stay. I like to include my DIY projects here, this time I'll show someone else's work, I'll post photos when finished.

Another thing our bimini has that is really nice: a Strataglass window to be able to read the masthead fly from the helm. It has a snapon cover to protect the "glass" when needed. We have instruments but it's comforting to see the fly. A downside of a bimini is you can't see the mainsail's shape.